Technology Resource Incubator Outreach Program

TRIO is a statewide program designed to nurture new innovative technologies from universities and investor firms through symposiums, training, and support services. The program participants will receive information to help them understand the utility environment and the tools necessary to develop cost effective energy efficiency and IDSM technologies or programs. By doing so, the program will speed up the availability of new innovative technologies and products.

The program will provide quarterly symposiums and roundtables designed specifically to help participants gain the necessary perspective and tools necessary work with the California Investor Owned Utilities (IOU’s) such as Southern California Edison (SCE), Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), and Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas). The symposiums are held quarterly at universities in different IOU territories in order to maximize the attendance of entrepreneurs, investors, and university tech transfer offices.

The scope of the symposium is “How to work with Utilities” and includes:

  • Understanding of the CPUC strategic plan
  • Assessing the technology in emerging technologies (ET)
  • Understanding various IOU relationships
  • Keynote speakers (DOE, top investor firm, successful entrepreneurs)
  • Current IOU programs ( Statewide)
  • Solicitation process ( Statewide)
  • Integrated Demand Side Management (IDSM)

The take away from the symposiums is the ability to attend a roundtable discussion that will include the IOU methodology for cost-effective savings. Roundtables provide the tools necessary for the entrepreneurs and future third party implementers to prepare quality work papers for third party implemented program. The scope of the roundtables will be a deep dive into the following:

  • E3 calculator
  • Work papers development
  • What is TRC/PAC?

TRIO is a statewide program that aims to draw a greater number of providers of desired, energy saving measures and IDSM programs into the utility EE programs and to contribute to the market transformation with efforts that accelerate the commercialization of energy-efficient measures.


Roundtable Discussions - The first Roundtable will be held in June 2010.

Future Trio Symposiums - The next Trio symposium will be held in the San Diego territory in June 2010.



Downloadable TRIO Symposium Presentations from 3/12/2010

Building a Clean Energy Revolution - US Dept of Energy
California's Energy Efficiency Regulatory Overview
Common Energy Efficiency Terms and Definitions
Emerging Technologies
Innovation Outreach
The Role of Utilities in Advancing Energy Efficiency Agenda
Trio Program Overview
Utility Program Overview


References

Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UCSB
Database for Efficiency Resources (DEER)
E3 Calculator